For the construction of electronic apparatuses of various types, electronic circuits known as "hybrid" circuits are used, which are composed of a platelet of ceramic material or the like, on which some components of the circuit and corresponding connections are formed by various technigques, while other components are applied above the circuit. Such circuits are usually constructed on basic platelets of relatively large dimensions, on which several single circuits are arranged in several parallel rows. At the end of the processing, the single elements corresponding to each circuit are separated along the respective boundary lines by bending in correspondence with incisions into the thickness of the platelet which are predetermined for this purpose.
Such operations may be carried out by hand or by means of simple devices clamping an element and bending the adjacent element. However, in these cases it is possible that the fracture may not take place along the predetermined lines but, as a result of anisotropy of the material and, in particular, as a result of lack of support at a rigid, straight abutment of the elements of the platelet in proximity to the fracture line, the fracture may move away from this line, thus resulting in scrapping or rejection of already completed pieces.
The latter is particularly harmful because the pieces to be rejected have reached the final step of processing and carry components which in some cases are particularly expensive.